They Get By With A Little Help From Their Friends…

A largely unknown group of Justice Department officials has inserted itself into the local Florida protest movement surrounding the killing of Trayvon Martin, assisting the protestors and attending their meetings and rallies.

While the officials are tasked with preventing racial violence, it appears that in carrying out their duties, they have provided significant assistance to those protesting the killing of Martin, who was black, by George Zimmerman, who is half white and half Hispanic.

The officials are members of the DOJ’s Community Relations Service, also known as “The Peacemakers,” a special unit established under the 1964 Civil Rights Act and empowered to act to mitigate local tensions between ethnic groups.

It is the only Federal entity dedicated to assisting state and local government units, private and public organizations, and community groups with preventing and resolving racial and ethnic tensions, incidents, and civil disorders. The CRS works to restore stability and accord.

Under President Obama, the group’s mission has expanded substantially. Officials are permitted to take on a more aggressive role, moving from a “reactionary” to a “preventative” stance, CRS Director Ondray Harris told the website Main Justice. And the categories that can bring in The Peacemakers now include gender, “gender identity,” sexual orientation, religion, and disability.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, The Peacemakers have ended up offering advice and assistance to the protestors.

When racial tensions flared in Sanford, a league of secretive peacemakers reached out to the city’s spiritual and civic leaders to help cool heated emotions after 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in February.

When civil-rights organizers wanted to demonstrate, these federal workers taught them how to peacefully manage crowds.

They even arranged a police escort for college students to ensure safe passage for their 40-mile march from Daytona Beach to Sanford to demand justice.

Sounds like their mission has progressed from peaceful resolution to active facilitation…and being done to advantage one group over another on your dime, Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer.

Too bad for George Zimmerman that he doesn’t look like the son that Obama doesn’t have.